Spring-whiffletree



` W m WM Patented Jan. 3l

J. H. FOUTE.

SPRING WHIPPLBTRBE.

(No Model.)

FIG.2.

' Invenzor.

N. PETERS, Phnmlnhugmpher, washingmn, D. C.

IINTTne STATES PATENT Ormea.

JAMES H. FOOTE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SPRING-WHIFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,026, dated January 31, 1888.

Application filed September Q3, 1887. Serial No. 250,534.

T @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. FoOTE, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-'Whiiiletrees of which the Iollowing is a specitication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is an improvement on the spring-whiftletree seen in application No. 230,330, tiled by me in the United States Patent Office March lO, 1887, in which application the spring is shown inserted in. a socket at the rear end oi" a housing or keeper that surrounds the whittletrec, and is pierced to admit the wagon-hammer; but in the present case the keeper that holds the springis a comparatively small block or casting, pierced or groovcd vertically to admit said hammer, which latter couples said block to a strap or band surrounding the whit'tletree, as herein after more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a plan of a whiffletree provided with my improved spring attachments. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of thestrap, detachable keeper, and a portion of the spring separated from the whiftletree. Fig. 3 is a section of the keeper taken in the plane or" its vertical perforation. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the keeper and a portion of the spring. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the whiflletree, strap, keeper, and spring,.

said section being taken in the plane of the wagon-hammer. Fig. G is a similar section of a modification of the invention. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section ot' the same taken at the line c e.

The whiiitletree A, singletree-connections a a', shackles B B', bolts b b', concave bearings O O', and stops D D, being the same as described in the aforesaid application, need no further explanation.

Bolts b b pass through eyes at the opposite ends ofa plate-spring, E, which may be composed of one or more leaves united by a band, F, the top and bottom ot' said band being provided with outwardly-ilaring edges ff', as seen in Fig. et. These tlaring edges of the band iit snugly within the converging grooves gg of an openended socket, G, situated either at the rear end of the strap J, or'of a small (No model.)

block or keeper, H, the latter having a vertical perforation, h, to adlnit the wagon-hammer I. This metallic strap or band J is so bent as to surround the front, top, and bottom ofwhiiiie tree A, the perforated portions of said strap being inserted within the grooves g y. jj are the perforations of this strap, which apertures receive the hammer I. W'hen these attachments are properly titted together, which attachment can be accomplished in a few minutes, the opposite ends ot' the spring normally bear against the stops D D', while the rear edge ot' the whifiletree is in contact with the front ol' keeper II, as more clearly seen in Fig. 5, but the instant the horses begin to pull 'said spring bends accordingly, thereby draw ing itself away from said stops, the shackles B B swinging within their concave bearings O C to permit this play of the spring. Consequently thespi'ing preserves the horses from any injurious strains in starting the wagon, thereby rendering the draft easier on the ani mals and preventing breakage of the whitfletree and its connections.

In the modification of my invention, (seen in Figs. 6 and 7,) the block or keeper H is not pierced, as in Fig. 3, butis simply grooved vertically/in front, as at h', to admit the wagonhammer I. \Vhicheverol` these constructions may be employed, it is preferred to use the dovetail devices f f g g for coupling the spring-band F to the keeper H, because this coupling binds together the upper and lower parts of the open-ended socket G, thereby preventing them being sprung apart, and securing the strap J to the whiftietree A without piercing the latter. Finally, by making the keeper H or ITI separate from the strap J the manufacture of the attachments is cheapened, said strap being simplya drop forging,77 requiring no special fitting nor finishing.

I claim as my inventionl. A whiftletree attachment consisting of a perforated strap or band, and a detachable keeper coupled to said strap by the wagonham mer, said keeper being provided at rear with an open-ended socket within which a leafspring is inserted, substantially as described.

2. A whitlletree surrounded by a strap that is coupled to a detachable keeper by the wagonhammer, in combination with a plate-spring inserted Within an openended socket at the rear of said keeper, the extremities of said spring being jointed to said whiffietree, substantially as described.

3. The Whifetree A, shackles B b B b', plate-spring E, band F, and detachable keeper H, having a perforation, h, and open-ended socket G, in combination with the pierced strap Jjj' and wagon-hammer I, for the purpose described.

4. The combination, with a Whiffietree, of the detachable keeper H, having at rear an open-ended socket, G, within which is inserted the band F of a plate-spring, E, said socket being provided with converging grooves g g', x5 to admit'the outwardly-daring edges ff of said band, as herein described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. FOOTE.

' Vi tnesses:

J AMES H. LAYMAN, RANKIN D. JONES. 

